Working with Hispanic/Latino Families
The Hispanic/Latino population in the U.S. is growing rapidly and is expected to constitute 25% of Americans by 2030. This population differs in their racial and ethnic identities, religious beliefs, health and socioeconomic status, and language status. The montage of the Hispanic/Latino population represents 43 Spanish-speaking countries, including Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Hondurans, Cubans, Dominicans, Costa Ricans, Salvadorans, Colombians, Bolivians, Guatemalans, and Peruvians ((Zambrana and Logie, 2009). There is a wealth of general information available about the Hispanic/Latino population. For a brief overview of Hispanic/Latino culture, health disparities, and how these factors relate to genetic counseling, please view this PowerPoint presentation.
Because Julie is a new provider to this family, it is extremely important that she establish a relationship based on trust and respect with the family. Julie will want to spend extra time engaging in small talk and relationship building with Alejandro’s parents before addressing the genetic and medical care issues related to the his translocation. Conveying a sense of warmth and respect for how the parents have cared for Alejandro will aid in establishing rapport with this family.
It is important for Julie to be careful not to stray away from discussing family planning issues with the family based on the assumption that Hispanic/Latino women are highly religious and fatalistic, and therefore would decline prenatal testing, in this case, for the chromosomal translocation. Many of the cultural assumptions providers make about Hispanic/Latinos’ religiosity and reliance on faith healers (e.g., curanderos or shamans) do not apply to the Hispanic/Latino population as a whole (Hunt & de Voogd, 2005). Thus it is important for Julie to genuinely and respectfully explore with the family if they have ever discussed recurrence risks and prenatal testing with a provider, and if they would like more information on this topic. Also, because many Hispanic/Latino families do not have optimal access to healthcare services, it is important for Julie to explore both the traditional and Western medical services the family has utilized and possible barriers to accessing specialty care.
For more information on caring for Hispanic/Latino families, please review the resources listed under Hispanic/Latino Culture.
Several articles cited below from the genetic counseling literature can help us better use the research and experience of other genetic
counselors to understand, communicate with, and help genetic counseling clients from this culture.
Please read Chapter 4 “Getting to Know the Culture” from Quality Health Services for Hispanics.
